HSU's platoon at catcher strong at and behind plate

As a former catcher at Lubbock Christian University, Hardin-Simmons baseball coach Steve Coleman understands the importance of being well-stocked at the position.

He knows firsthand about the beating catchers take on a daily basis, and he understands better than most how much a strong defensive catcher who can call a good game helps a team's pitching and defense.

That's why he'll be the first to tell you just how lucky he is to have juniors J.T. Armstrong and Regan Dixon sharing time behind the plate this season.

"We're very fortunate in the fact that we have two catchers that, in my opinion, could start anywhere else and be guys that could catch all three games in a series," Coleman said. "The beauty we have is being able to catch one, use the other as the (designated hitter) and flip them back and forth, which keeps them fresh both offensively and defensively."

One of the things that has made HSU's catching situation such a success is that both Armstrong and Dixon have exhibited the type of defensive ability Coleman looks for in his catchers, while at the same time filling valuable roles in his lineup.

Dixon and Armstrong bat third and fourth, respectively, and their proficiency at the plate has been a big reason the Cowboys have gone 23-14 this season and 13-5 in the American Southwest Conference.

Dixon has hit .343 with a non-scholarship-era school record 14 home runs and a team-high 45 RBIs. Armstrong, meanwhile, leads the team with a .385 batting average and is third in home runs (8) and RBIs (37).

"It's one of those things that luckily we do have two of them that are swinging it well, so we don't ever have to take them out of the lineup," Coleman said. "One can DH and one can catch. I think it's a good situation we have."

That mix has forced each player to adapt to a new role, though. Because Armstrong and Dixon had played catcher for most of their careers, getting used to DHing took some time.

"I never really was a DH before," said Dixon, who generally fills that role the first and third game of every series. "It's been different because you're not necessarily as connected in the game, just because you're not back there talking with the umpire and you're not running in and out onto the field.

"Keeping focus during the game is definitely something I had to adjust to, but it's come pretty easily to me."

Armstrong, who transferred to HSU last season following a redshirt sophomore year at Charleston Southern, said both players are happy to be playing.

"I think it's worked out great," he said. "We both come out here and enjoy playing baseball and having fun. Just knowing that we're going get to play every day is a great feeling.

"You don't have to worry about sitting on the bench. Doing what you can to help out the ball team is always fun."

Armstrong, who has been asked to catch starter Sam Walker in the first game of series and ace Tim Kriegel in the final game, has caught more than twice as many games as Dixon this season. But that's not because Coleman has less faith in Dixon, the 12-year HSU coach said.

Coleman said he has confidence in both catchers' ability to call games and game plan. He said he's stuck to that rotation in an effort to keep his pitcher's comfortable by allowing them to work with the same guy each game.

But both catchers put in the work in practice, spending as much time and effort working with pitchers as they do working on their swings.

"The pitchers, they're a lot of work off the field," Dixon said. "That's a day-in, day-out thing. We're always having to help them tweak their mechanics because they can feel things but they can't see it.

"We get to sit there and watch them on a day-to-day basis and we can kind of critique them throughout the week and keep them sharp. That way they can come out and perform their best on the weekends."

Armstrong said he and Dixon are interchangeable in many ways, and like their coach, both understand the value they have to the team.

"Any time you can get two guys that have the talent to hit really well, handle the pitching staff, catch really well and be really good leaders, it's a big benefit that really helps out the team," Armstrong said.